Each student writes his or her rule at the top of a piece of scratch paper. We discuss the bold colors, simple subject matter, simple composition, and humor. The class discusses the illustrative qualities of her work. Each student in the class will illustrate a different rule.ĭay 1: Students look at the artwork of Maira Kalman again. The teacher helps each student to get a top choice rule. Prep (a day or more before the lesson): Students are provided with a list of the 83 Food Rules. Many of the rules are based on science or can be used to lead into lessons in the upcoming Food Chemistry science unit.Ī fun way to celebrate the end of the book is by completing an art project. Elaborate on each rule and ask for clarification from students. It is best to limit comments to two or three for each rule otherwise the book will take too long to finish. The read aloud lasts for 15 minutes each time. Teacher reads aloud from Michael Pollan’s Food Rules, preferably the illustrated edition by Maira Kalman.

This unit was written for fourth grade, but can be taught for grades 3-5 with minor adjustments. The persuasive writing lessons are taught with the inspiration and direction of the Writer’s Workshop.

All lessons in this unit can be considered mini-lessons, except the art lesson. Overview: This unit is inspired by and based on the book Food Rules by Michael Pollan. Integrates persuasive writing, science, technology, public speaking, and art Pollan served for many years as executive editor of Harper’s Magazine and is now the Knight Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism at UC Berkeley.Inspired by Michael Pollan and Maira Kalman His articles have been anthologized in Best American Science Writing, Best American Essays and the Norton Book of Nature Writing. In 2010 he was named to Time’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. 2000 Global Award for Environmental Journalism. A contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine, Pollan is the recipient of numerous journalistic awards, including the James Beard Award for best magazine series in 2003 and the Reuters-I.U.C.N. He is also the author of “In Defense of Food,” “The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World”, “A Place of My Own”, and “Second Nature”. It also won the California Book Award, the Northern California Book Award, the James Beard Award for best food writing, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Michael Pollan is the author, most recently, of “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation.” His previous book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals”, was named one of the ten best books of 2006 by the New York Times and the Washington Post. Agriculture, environment, obesity, science, nutrition, journalism, food, cooking, gardening Research Description

Michael pollan 10 food rules